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MAX IV: Record year for research

2024/04/032024/04/04

MAX IV is making significant societal contributions in terms of record-high scientific productivity. In 2023, the number of publications increased by 51% compared to the previous year, and the number of unique users increased by 31%. Moreover, the number of proposals submitted in the most recent Open Call was higher than ever.

The data from 2023 indicates a rapidly growing interest to conduct research at MAX IV.

The latest Open Call, which closed in March 2024, received an all-time high of 459 proposals from national and international researchers who applied to use MAX IV this autumn.

The total number of proposals submitted in the 2023 Open Calls (717) was 14% higher than in 2022.

These statistics are published in the MAX IV Annual Report 2023, which is now released.

Read more on the MAX IV website

Image: The main MAX IV building

Credit: Johan Persson

Next Director General of KEK

2023/09/082023/09/12

On September 8, 2023, Professor Shoji Asai, Director of International Center for Elementary Particle Physics (ICEPP), the University of Tokyo, was selected by the Selection Committee for the Director General of KEK, as the candidate for the next Director General of KEK.

The term is for three years, beginning on April 1, 2024.

The committee stated the reasons of the nomination as Professor Asai is:

a person who has a noble character, with relevant knowledge and experience, and having abilities to manage its educational and research activities properly and effectively.
a person who is expected to carry out the medium-term goal and plans.
a person who is expected to promote with long-term vision and strong leadership, the highly advanced, internationalized, and inter-disciplinary research activities of KEK by getting support from the public.

Read more on the KEK website

Image: Professor Asai, next Director General of KEK

Shining a light on the Australian Synchrotron’s $100M BRIGHT beamlines

2022/12/122022/12/15

A special inaugural event held by ANSTO at its Australian Synchrotron for more than 30 funding organisations has showcased the first of the $100 million BRIGHT Program’s brand new, state-of-the-art beamlines.

The event, at the Clayton facility in Melbourne on Friday 9 December, also marked the official welcoming of the BRIGHT Program’s latest funding partnership with the University of South Australia as the 32^nd contributor to provide additional capital funding for the construction of new beamlines.

Since 2018, the BRIGHT Program has received joint funding from leading Australian universities and medical research institutes, New Zealand government, universities and crown research institutes, via the New Zealand Synchrotron Group, and the Australian government through the CSIRO, Defence Science and Technology Group, and ANSTO.

The program is enabling the design, installation, and commissioning of eight new beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron to meet the growing demand of these sophisticated technologies by Australian and international researchers and industry partners.

Read more on the ANSTO website

Image: Prof Michael James, Senior Principal Scientist , Australian Synchrotron and Prof Enzo Lombi of the University of South Australia. UniSA has announced funding support for the program.